Militant, soldier killed in Uri infiltration bid

A soldier and an armed infiltrator were killed as the Army foiled an infiltration bid in north Kashmir’s Uri sector on Friday morning. This is the first attempt by infiltrators to sneak into Kashmir Valley through Uri sector of Baramulla, around 100 kilometers from here.Police said the militants were trying to sneak into valley from Hapathkai Nala in Buniyar area in Uri sector.

A top police officer in north Kashmir said that four infiltrators have been killed in the gunfight while one soldier has been wounded.However, the Army maintains that only one militant has been killed. “The infiltration was detected within meters of the loC. In the ongoing gunfight a militant was killed. His body is yet to be recovered,” said a senior Army official.

Defence spokesman lt Col NN Joshi said that one militant has been killed while another was wounded.Sources said that a wounded soldier succumbed to injuries late in the evening.Joshi said that search operation was on to track down heavily armed infiltrators in the area. They are believed to be 4 to 5 in number.

This is the fifth infiltration bid in north Kashmir area during this year but the maiden attempt through Uri sector, once known as gateway of insurgency.

Eight militants and three soldiers have been killed in three encounters in Tangdhar sector of Kupwara district. The first infiltration of this year was detected and foiled in Tutmar Gali area on May 25.

last year on  December 5, six militants, eight Army men including a Major and three policemen were killed after a fierce gunfight broke out when suicide attackers barged into an Army camp in Uri area. The authorities said that the suicide attack was aimed at sabotaging the assembly elections in the area.